The present invention relates to a microchip inspection system and a program to be employed for such the microchip inspection system.
In recent years, due to the use of micro-machine technology and microscopic processing technology, systems are being developed in which devices and means (for example pumps, valves, flow paths, sensors or the like) for performing conventional sample preparation, chemical analysis, chemical synthesis and the like are caused to be ultra-fine and integrated on a single chip (for instance, set forth in Tokkai 2004-28589, Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication). These systems are called μ-TAS (Micro Total Analysis System), bioreactor, lab-on-chips, and biochips, and much is expected of their application in the fields of medical testing and diagnosis, environmental measurement and agricultural manufacturing. In reality, as seen in gene screening, in the case where complicated steps, skilful operations, and machinery operations are necessary, a microanalysis system which is automatic, has high speed and is simple is very beneficial not only in terms of reduction in cost, required amount of sample and required time, but also in terms of the fact that it makes analysis possible in cases where time and place cannot be selected.
For each type of analysis or inspection, since quantitativeness, analysis accuracy, economic efficiency on these analysis chips are considered as important, the task at hand is to ensure a feeding system which has a simple structure and is highly reliable. A micro fluid control element which has high accuracy and excellent reliability is needed. The inventors of this invention have already proposed a suitable micro-pump system and a control method thereof (for instance, set forth in Tokkai 2001-322099, Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication).
Further, the inventors of this invention have already proposed a liquid flow path constituting a reacting section in which a reagent, etc. is sealed into a fine liquid flow path of the microchip, and a liquid is injected into the fine liquid flow path by employing a micro pump to move the reagent, etc., and a reaction detecting device, which makes it possible to measure a reaction result by successively flowing it into a liquid flow path constituting a detecting section (for instance, set forth in Tokkai 2006-149379, Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication). In such the reaction detecting device as mentioned in the above, various kinds of liquid conveyance controlling operations, including an operation for controlling a timing of injecting a driving liquid by employing the micro pump unit having plural micro pumps and feeding the driving liquid into a predetermined portion located within the microchip, an amount of the liquid, a rate of the liquid amount change, a conveying direction, etc., are conducted.
However, since the viscosity of the liquid varies with the temperature change of the liquid, sometimes, it has become impossible to conduct the predetermined liquid conveying operation, due to errores in the liquid conveyance controlling operations, such as the timing of injecting the driving liquid by employing the micro pump, the amount of the liquid, the rate of the liquid amount change, etc., which are caused by the temperature changes.
To solve the abovementioned problems, the inventors of this invention have already proposed a method, in which correction talbles corresponding to various kinds of temperatures are provided in advance; a sensor for measuring an environment temperature is eqipped; and the correction talbles are referred on the basis of the temperature measured by the sensor so as to control a voltage for driving the micro pump (for instance, set forth in Tokkai 2004-270537, Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication).
However, even if the environment temperature is measured by the sensor as set forth in Tokkai 2004-270537, since the environment temperature measured by the sensor and the liquid temperature of the driving liquid residing within the micro pump do not necessary coincide with each other, some error is liable to occur. On the other hand, since an inside area of the micro pump is a microscopic area, it is quite difficult to directly measure the liquid temperature of the driving liquid residing within the micro pump. Further, in the correction method, which employs the correction tabels, it is necessary to prepare a large number of various kinds of the temperature-condition correction tabels in order to suffciently correct the changes of the viscosity of the liquid due to the temperature changes. Since it is difficult to prepare such the various kinds of correction tabels corresponding to various conditions, and it also takes much time to conduct the controlling operations based on such the correction tabels, sometimes, it has become impossible to control the liquid transportation amount of the micro pump within a predetermined range. Accordingly, in the method set forth in Tokkai 2004-270537, since the temperature changes cause errores in the liquid conveyance controlling operations, such as the timing of feeding the driving liquid into a predetermined portion located within the microchip, the amount of the liquid, the rate of the liquid amount change, etc., sometimes, it has become impossible to conduct the predetermined liquid conveying operation.